Further probe into Unchuan case needed
Though charges are already filed against the suspect in the murder of a voice coach, the authorities do not consider the case closed as they are still conducting further investigation.
The 21-year-old suspect, identified as Sanny Lumangca of Purok 2, Bitoon, Clarin, Misamis Occidental, surrendered to the Naga City Police Station on January 12.
Joel Jude Suson Unchuan, popularly known as “Coach J,” was found dead in the city of Naga, Cebu, on December 30, 2023. He was a voice coach for Sinulog Idol.
“The investigation is not yet closed because we are still trying to determine kung diha ba siya’y kuyog. Although sa iyang extrajudicial confession niingon siya nga siya ra usa, but we are not closing the investigation yet and we will continue trying to check kung wa baya’y laing involve ani,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office-7.
(The investigation is not yet closed because we are still trying to determine if he has an accomplice. Although in his extrajudicial confession, he said that he was alone, but we are not closing the investigation yet and we will continue trying to check if there was someone involved here.)
Pelare said that although the victim has already issued an extrajudicial confession, they are not considering the case closed and are not closing the possibility that the suspect had an accomplice when he committed the killing.
“Sa kadako sa krimen, unya sa kalayo sa naabtan, ganahan nato nga tan-awon na nga posibilidad. But we take into account the extrajudicial confession but the police will not solely base its findings on the extrajudicial confession. Ang amo nga buhaton karon, e file namo ang kaso against the suspect but the investigation is still open to determine if naa pa bay laing involve,” mentioned the spokesperson.
(The crime was big, and it reached far; we would like to check that possibility. But we take into account the extrajudicial confession, but the police will not solely base its findings on the extrajudicial confession. What we are going to do now is file a case against the suspect, but the investigation is still open to determine if there is another person involved.)
In his extrajudicial confession, Lumangca stated that he committed the crime alone on the night of December 29 in Mandaue City and abandoned the dead body in Inayagan, Naga City. After that, he traveled to Liloan using the victim’s vehicle.
Lumangca added that he had a personal grudge against the victim after they did not come to terms on a certain matter, which resulted in an argument before he committed the crime.
Pelare revealed that they are still performing backtracking on the CCTV footage. -